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Initial Battle in Republican Convention Won by Taft Forces,
and Senator Elihu Root Elected Temporary Chairman. 558 to 502
AS II PIE SOCIAL
First Session of Conven?
tion Sees Not a Soli?
tary Homicide.
SPECTATORS ARE
DISAPPOINTED
Only Blood Spilled Is by Texas
Delegate, Who Tries to Bite
Top Off Bottle of Beer.
Anti-Taft People Decide
to Talk Enemies
to Death.
BY St Ml HI. <i. HLVTHK.
(Copyright. 1912 )
[Special to The Tlmcs-Dlspatch. 1
Chicago. 111., Jurtr IS.?Much to the
rrgret of tonic thousands of blood
thlrsty spectator!, there was not a sol?
itary homicide hi
the first .?.?-sslon
of the convention.
Not a drop of
blood was hpiiled.
except In the case
of the Texas del?
egate who tiled to
hlte the top off a
bottle of beer and
lacerated one of
his Hps. Other?
wise all was nor.
sanguinary as a
pie social.
Early In the
apMtuBi l>. tiiythe. proceedings It was
clearly apparent the antl-Taft people
h.id changed their reported tactics, and
instead of murdering and otherwise
maltreating the -Taft men. had derided
on i ittor, lingering but Just as effec?
tive mariner of disposing of them,
which was to talk them to death. The
Taft men resented this to some extent
und talked ba^k. And. although some
of the delegates grew groggy under
the tierce vernal assault, no one sue- \
c imbefl, nor did any spectator get any?
thing worse than a headache. Viewed
as a gory spectacle, as un Incarnadined
illustration of the lengths to which
earnest men ? will go to obtain their
rights and protect tho plain people In
those equities guaranteed to them un- !
d. -r the.Constitution and by Francis J.
Hen'eyi the first day s proceedings were
a distinct disappointment.
Palls tt> Kick Itosewnter's >liln?.
Indeed, it was plainly apparent early
lu the day that Governor Hadloy, the
ftoosevett floor lender, so far from
kicking the. minute Chairman Hose
Water in the shins, had naught else In j
mind than to treat him with scrupulous
-Missouri politeness, and that Chairman i
Rosewater, In turn, intended to bei
courteous, even chlvalrli. In his deal-I
nigs with Governor Hadloy.
knives aispluyed. a wo or three hun-'
(lied policemen stood around and;
pawned their heads off. and the col-j
lection e>f assistant ser/eants-at-arms
fipent most of their lime borrowing:
e. garettes from one another, or proud-,
ly contemplating their nifty badges.
Incited by the dire predictions of
death and dUaster that had been scat-'
t< red abroad, the populace, as repre-]
tented by those who had pull enough'
to get tickets, came early to the hall I
and resolutely turned their thumbs!
down as evidence they neither desired':
hoi would allow quarter. They ex-!
peeled a riot to start at the moment!
the llashllfrht picture was taken, and!
if a sense .they were gratified, for a'
riot did start?a riot of conversation
end so-called oratory. But that was'
r, 11 There wasn't a leaf stlrlng In'
fche killing line. Not a gun harked'
lor a head was cracked. All went as'
decorous as an Intercollegiate deb3te.j
There were precedents Instead of
projectiles, alterntlons Instead of as-|
<ault. The harking Oeing good, the,
speakers harked lack lo the days ofj
John C. Fremont and dwelt with great'
tieclnmatnry effect on the convention
that nominated Abraham Lincoln in
1864. T'oey also harked back and
harked forward in other regards fo.
si\ almost interrninabl,! period, citing
other events that had happened in.
former Republican Na?onal Conven-:
Hons, and the spectators cheered and'
cheered, alternately chagrined, of|
course, because there was no gore, hut,
out for a holiday and in a spirit of;
true American adaptability to circum-|
stances, accepting lang:'.ige in lieu of.
lambasting. So the crowd had a gooul
time, the speakers had a good time,'
and all passed off pleasantly as could
be expected. notwithstanding the
alarming advance notices.
J Their Hearts Chilled.
There was a terrifying feature, how
over, that brought sudden chills to tho
hearts of those present on various oc?
casions. Numerous of the orators,
finding themselves at loss to proceed
because of the clamor for action on
the part of the delegates and specta?
tors, cruelly threatened to stay there
nil summer If they were not allowed
to. continue speaking. This frightful
threat had instant effect each time' It
?was used. Unable to face this dread
alternative, rne crowd always lapsed
Into r-Ilpnce, permitted the platitudin?
ous partisan to perorate and sped them
to their seats with brief applause, and
demanded a vote While tho next man
was preening himself for his oratora
tlcal flight.
\ Presently the announcer himself
?howed some, mercy. He megaphoned
(Continued on Ninth Page.),
ROOT DELIVERS
KEYNOTE SPEECH
OF CONVENTION
Tells Why Republican
Party Should Be Re?
turned to Power.
BEGS DELEGATES
TO ACT IN UNISON
Chairman Prays That Individual
Opinions Be Subordinated for
Good of Party?Achievements
of President Taft's Adminis?
tration Recounted?Pledged
to Uphold the Court6.
Chicago. Ifuiie Ifc.?Senator Hoot'a
"keynote sp. ? oh" as temporary cha'r
man of the Republican convention was
a eomprelienhlx e resume of the
Bchlevc ments of President Taft's ad -
mlnli-tiatloii. He began with a refer
< i.e. t.i the present struggle, for con
trol of tiie Republican party, and
called upon the various members to I
subordinate their Individual op'nlons I
and act in unison upon great questions I
upon which they agreed.
i "Throughout our party's history,"
he aald. "In each presidential election I
lire have gone to the American people
with the confident and Just assertion
that the Republican party is not a
mere fortuitous collection of Indl
viduuls, but a coherent and living force
as an Organization."
Taft*? Work Lauded.
Referring to the work of """resident
'Tafts administration. Chairman Hoot
referred to prosecutions under the.
pure food law, conservation of natural
resources, economy In the public ser?
vice and improvement cf the army and
navy. He referred to the refusal.of
the Democratic House to sanction two
battleships this year, and said the
question of whether the American navy
should be permitted to fall back now
stood between the Democratic House
and the Republican Senkte,
The construction of the ranama
Canal he referred to as "greater than
a Roman triumph." The chairman re- j
ft-rred briefly to the foreign relations I
of the government under tits present
administration, ar.d pointed to the
steady growth of American trade,
abroad.
Senator Root spoke at some length
upon the importance of the mainten?
ance of American 1 Jjtltutlbhs. He
.aid in part:
To the surprise of his assistants. thei
plank upon which the Colonel sets
most store Is one which has ho far
figured simply In a letter from him
to a privat?- citizen. That is one
calling for wholesale work on the
Misslssipl River, curbing its floods, and
reclaiming its submerged areas. The
plank win pledge the party to utiliz?
ing for this purpose the powerful or?
ganization that for another year will
be at work on the Panama Canal, and
the mass of machinery that has been
used there will also be designed for
the new project.
His Trust T'rocram.
Next in importance, as the Colonel
now Fees It. will be a plank promising
further control of the trusts. This will
be the only one of the three planks
demandrd by the Colonel that have
thi least relation to the subjects of the
speeches In which he pleaded bis right
to lead the Republican paity In Its
coming battle To offset the President's
record of convictions in trust prosecu?
tions, th? Colonel will put forward a
Plan for more peaceful control by
means of an industrial commission?
by Federal ineorporetion.
The third of the. Colonel's planks
comes as the greatest surprise to his
lieutenants. This will he on the tariff,
in which the Colonel has never shown
the slightest Interest. Realizing tho
need of outdoing In some way Presi?
dent Taft's earnest advocacy of tariff
reductions to a point measuring dif?
ference In cost nt home and abroad
with a fair profit to the American I
manufacturer, the Colonel will drop ,
out of consideration the question of i
the profit. His new tariff doctrine will
be that protection Is solely for tho
workingman. and he will declare that
such was Its original purpose with
Alexander Hamilton and his Immediate
followers. ?
"We claim that we arc entitled to a
popular vote of confidence at tho com-I
ing election because Wo have demon-!
strated that we are a party of afllr
tnative. constructive policies for the
betterment and progress of our coun?
try in all the fields upon whiclt the
activity and influence of government
can rightly enter.
"No government which must be ad?
ministered by weak and fallible men
can he perfect. but we may Justly
claim for our government under the
Constitution that for a century end a
quarter it has worked out the best;
results for individual liberty and
progress In civilization yet achieved
by governmental Institutions.
"We will maintain the power and
honor of the nation, but we will ob?
serve those limitations which the
Constitution sets tip for the preserva?
tion of local self-government. This
country is so large and the conditions
of life so varied that it would be. In?
tolerable to have the local and domes?
tic affairs of our home communities,
which Involve no national rights, con?
trolled by majorities made up In oth?
er States thousands of miles away, or
(Continued on Ninth Page,)
? - -???=? ?i?rrnniTrifriMiM w.wiir^irWi?fffiin>i
Ellhu Root, trmpornry chairman of Ttcpul.lU-an convention, vcho delprerrd keynote address.
VIRGINIANS GIVE
BIG VOTE TO ROOT
Twenty-Two Support New York
Senator and Two Stand
by McGovern.
THIS LINE-UP PREDICTED
Brady Say? There I? Disposition
to Give Fair Hearing to
Contestants. '
<Ppe.-lal to The Times-Dispatch.I
Chicago, 111., .lune 18.?The Virginia
delegation to the Republican National
Convention stood-by its colors to-day
in the first test of strength In the
convention hall and voted twenty-two
for Root for chairman, and two for
McGovern. This is the llnc-up fore?
casted by leaders of the delegation on
the preceding day. The two dele?
gates from the Fifth District voted
for the Wisconsin Governor.
D. Lawrence Groner, of Norfolk,
made ono of the speeches second'ng i
the nomination of Senator Root, and
he made a good Impression, his voice
carrying well to all parts of the great
hall.
Will Decide oo Merits.
.loseph V. Brady, of Richmond, sec?
retary of the delegation, says there
Is a strong disposition among the
members to give the Roosevelt con?
testants a fair and Impartial hearing
and to decide the question on its
merits.
W. D. C-oodwln, of Salt Lake Cltr.
Utah, formerly of Afton, Va., Is here
as the guest of his brother, II. C.
Goodwin, who is ono of the delegates
from Virginia. The Goodwins are
sons of the Hon. W. H. Goodwin, of
Afton. who formerly was a member of
the Virginia Legislature., W. C. Good?
win, will return to his old home for a
vacation.
Mrs. R. A. Fulwiier and young son
are here enjoying the festivities of
convention week.
FOR NORFOLK.
DOUBLE TRACK, STONE BALLASTED.
DCSTLESS LINE. 76 miles without a stop.
C. * O. train, leaving- Richmond 15:19 noon
dally. Other Ea*t Trains leave Rle.hmond
9:00 A. M. and t:0ft P. M. Connects at Nor?
folk for Virginia Btaoh.
How the States Voted
for Temporary Chairman
Chicago, 111.. June 18.?The vote
by States on roll vail for temporary
chairman was an follows:
Dele. McGov
State. sates. Root. em
Alabama . 34 m'i 2.
Arizona . H a
Arkansas . 18 17 1
California . 2rt 3 24
Colorado >. 12 12 ..
Connecticut . 14 14
Delaware . ?> ..
Florida . . 12 12 ? ..
Georgia . 2.3 22 U
Idaho . 8 .. s
Illinois .AS 0 40
Indiana .:<0 20 10
Iowa . 2? 1? 10
Kansas . 20 2 IS
Kentucky . 26 2? 3
Louisiana . 20 20
Maine . 12 . . 12
Maryland . 1U S S
Massachusetts _3? 18 IS
'Michigan . 110 10 10
Minnesota .24 . . 24
Mississippi . 20 111 4
Missouri . 36 16 20
Montana . 8 ? 8
Nebraska . 16 .. i?
Nevadn . 6 e
New Hampshire . . 8 8
New Jersey. 2S .. 28
New Mexico. 8 0 2
I'Ncw York. no re ia
North Carolins.... 24 3 21
?North Dakota.... H> 1?
Ohio . 48 14 34
Oklahoma . 20 4 |fl
?Oregon . 10 3 ?
Pennsylvania . 70 12 04
Rhode. Island . 10 10
Smith Carolina.... 18 n 7
South Dakota - 10 10
Tennessee . -4 23 t
?Texas . 40 31 8
Utnb . 8 7 1
Vermont . s n 3
Virginia . 24 32 2
Wnshlnglon . 14 14
West Virginia. 16 .. m
?Wisconsin . 36 13
Wyoming . 1 6
Ilawall. ? . . 6
Alaska . 2 3
Dint, of Columbia. . 2 3 . .
Philippines . 2 3
Porto Rico. 2 2
Total .1,078 WS B02
?Absent. I.
l|Not votlnar, 1 .moot).
??Ummer. 1.
' ?W. S. I.nuder. ?? Heuser, 2i Sen?
ator Oronns, It not voting, 1 (Mr
(lovernl.
BETIER WARRIOR
THAN A PROPHET
Roosevelt's Only Comment on
Result of First Day's
Struggle.
HAS NO FEAR OF OUTCOME
His Lieutenants Are Salaried
He Cannot Be
Beaten.
Chicago. June is.?"I'm a bettor war?
rior than a prophet." Faid Colonel
Roosevelt when he was asked his
opinion of the outcome of the conven?
tion. Thn"t was all he would say to
night.
Mr. Roosevelt directed his own bat?
tle In the convention hall over a tele?
phone wire. Midden away In a room
? n his hotel, he spent most of the,
lime with a receiver at his ear. lis-j
Irning to reports of hi* lieutenants'
^nd issuing orders in person. The!
wire ovejr which Colonel Roosevelt |
gave his directions had no connection1
with any switchboard. Arrangements
were so made that no person other j
than Colonel Roosevelt and the man|
at the Coliseum end of the wire could
by any chance overhear the conversa?
tions.
"When the convention had adjourned
the Roosevelt leaders hastened back
and began a series of conferences with
their chief. Colonel Roosevelt's .ieso
t lutes predicted confidentially that the
fight would be won. although they
guarded carefully the plans for to?
morrow which were framed at to- I
r.lght's conferences. Tney had with
them tables of figure? based on to-1
day's developments, which showed toj
their satisfaction that they could not
he beaten. Colonel Roosevelt they j
said, was pleased with the showing
made on the first day.
After the dinner hour a throng des?
cended on the Roosevelt headquarters.]
By 9 o'clock the corrilers nnd lobby]
of the hotel were filled wjth a solid.'
struggling mass of men and women.]
Felice reserves were rushed to the,
place, hut they could do little, to movci
the crowd.
In the hall of the Roosevelt com?
mittee, the crowd was kepi in lively
spirits with a band concert. Impromp
1 (Continued on Tcpth Tage.)
COLONEL'S COHORTS
ARE RUTHLESSLY
TRAMPLED DOWN
End Comes After Day of Bitter Fighting,
and While Advantage Apparently Is With
President, Roosevelt Claims Final Victory.
EVERY STEP OF WAY CONTESTED,
AND IT REQUIRES FIVE HOURS
TO FORCE PROGRAM THROUGH
From Start Convention Is Disorderly, and Speakers
Are Howled Down and Compelled to Face Pan?
demonium of Cheers and Jeers From Partisans of
Candidates?Hadley Moves Substitution of New
Roll for One Bearing "Fraudulent" Names, but Is
Ruled Out of Order?Contest on This Point Will
Be Continued To-Day?Bolt Still Seems Far
Distant.
Chicago. June ?Against the threat-, charges and bitter in?
vective of the Roosevelt force.-, tlie Taft supporters in the Republi?
can National Convention to-day put through the first portion of
their program by electing Senator EHhu Root as temporary chair?
man.
In spite of the fact that Victor Roscwater, chairman of the
national committee, consistently ruled out of order every motion
ma le by the Roosevelt forces, it required more than live hours to
reach a vote on the chairmanship.
The calling of the roll was beset with difficulties from the vety
first name on the list of delegates, but in the end when the tumult
had died away. Senator Root was found to have won by a vote of
55S to 502 for Governor Francis F.. McGovern. of Wisconsin; with
fourteen scattering votes and four not voting.
To-night both the Tail and Roosevelt forces arc claiming that
this vote indicates that their candidate is absolutely sure to win.
The advantage appears to be with the President, however, for
while he is sure to lose some of the votes that were cast for Senator
Root, it is claimed that he will gain, if instructions are lived up to,
some of the votes independently cast for McGovern. Those leaders
who have been urging a compromise candidate ever since they
arrived in Chicago arc pointing to another angle in the figures, and
claim that they show that it is essential to name a so-called "dark
horse" to save the day fof the Republican party.
While Mr. Root was ma le chairman to-dav and managed to
deliver his "keynote-' speech, the fighting is to be renewed at it
o'clock to-morrow, when the motion of the Roosevelt leaders to
substitute a new list of delegates for those seated in some of the
contested cases heard before the national committee is to be taken
up as the unfinished business. No committees were named to-night
and none will he until this motion to "purge." the convention of
"fraudulent delegates'' is disposed of. To-day they were defeated
on a point of order, but the Roosevelt forces declare that parlia?
mentary practice will not be permitted to stand in their wav to?
morrow.
The Roosevelt people and the Taft people carried out their pro?
grams as announced in advance almost to the letter. The Roose?
velt people say to-night they are going to fight every inch of the
way.
There were cries of '?bolters'' hurled at the Roosevelt delegates
at times during the session, but the contingency of a bolt again to-,
night seemed to be far distant.
No Picture of President.
For trie first time In the history of
the Republican National Conventions
no picture of the Pres'dent hung In
the Coliseum, where to-day l.fl'S del?
egates gathored to name a candidate
for President and Vice-Presldcnt, and j
to formulate a party platform.
The nervous tension due to general
expectation of tumultuous sceuos
"from the drop of the hat" at tho'
opening of the convention was very
apparent on all sides.
Along the front row between tho
body of delegate, seats and the plat?
form a solid row of uniformed po?
lice, as early ns ?:30 ,\. M. :-.?t wait?
ing for?nobody know what.
At exactly 10:1? the band broke In
with "My Country 'Tis of Thee."
By 10:30 A. M. there was a goodly
sprinkling of people. Including some
of the New York, Mississippi and
Texas delegations, in the hall. And
still outside In the streets wer,- hun?
dreds of people more or leas promi?
nent In Republican councils. who
found It impossible to gel Into ihu
big hall. E. G. L->mpson, of Ohio, the
veteran reading clerk of the national
House of Representatives, and asso*
clatr parliamentarian for the conven?
tion, was nt his place by the speak?
er's table an hour and a hmf before
the lime for opening business. Be?
side htm was a stack of books on
parliamentary law. and he was im- !
mersed In typewritten pages of opin?
ions as to what the convention could
or could not do without violating the
parliamentary precepts of Thomas
Jefferson and later atitnorltles.
Long before noon the two official
stenographers wer? in front of tho
platform familiarizing 'themselves
with the position of delegations.
Chairman ltosev.ater Arrive".
Chairman Rosewater Hrrlved at th?
Coliseum at 11:15. and appeared on .1
the stage apparently unrecognized by
the delegates who had. ?akon th?tlr
scats. There was much confusion on
the stage, but Roscwater soon was .
seen In conference with Senator Fen- ]
rose and Harry S. Now, of Indiana. |
Colonel New. kneeling at the front ;
ot tht ?l*tform, readhed over the I
silk-covered chairs to shake hands
with friend?
As former Vice-President Fairbanks '
entered the big hall a wave of ap?
plause that began when he showed
inside the door swept across the hall
as he made his way to ..^s seat with
the Indiana delegation.
lie took a seat at tho rear of tho
section, but James E. \Vatson. floor
leader for the Taft forces. escorr:d
him to a place at the head of tha
delegations while they cheered.
Fairbanks'? new seat was directly*
in front of the speaker's stand.
The weather was exceedingly cool
to-day?a sharp contrast to former
convention years?and many of tho
delegates appeared in winter clothes
and overcoats
Congressman Murd.->ck, of Kansas, a,
progress'vc lender. predicted thcro
would b? two conventions. He would
not go Into details
When Colonel Roosevelt appeared at
his headquarters he at once began ttio
final conference with the leaders be?
fore the assembling of the convene
1 tlon. Asked whether iie would at
I tend the convention to-day. he said:
"I haven't the least Idea of going.'*
As the seats began to till up tha
most marked sign of the grip tha
[VI ice 'ntended to k.-ep upon "the
public peace' was given The twenty
c patrolmen "ho had been sitting
In the front row of iclegatcs seats,
stood ur> and 'bout faced. So as to
front upon the ''arena" where so soon
the bitterest factional struggle in rd
j cent political history was expected tr?
j break Into action
Xo Xort of Ripple,
j Thus far there had not heen a rlp?
j pie of any sort. The occasion for
which the peoplo hero gathering
! might as well have been a horse show
. r theatrical performance. The pro
? portion of women was comparatively
small, and there was rather a marked,
absence of conspb-uous gowns and
millinery.
West Virginia now. and then greet*
ed a n?w arrival with the 'delegation^
yell, "Rah, rah.'rah. West Vlrglnla/V.
l if^?nUnuc?" on liiirhth. Paac*.) *